Overview & Reviews

Volkswagen is an automaker based in Germany. Its products typically command a higher price than those of competing models, but the return is a more upscale driving and ownership experience.

In 1934, Ferdinand Porsche was commissioned to build a small, inexpensive car at the request of Adolph Hitler. His answer -- a beetle-shaped sedan that was called a Volkswagen (German for "people's car") -- debuted two years later. Hitler had a town built near the plant for factory workers; he named it Kraft durch Freude Stadt (derived from the Nazi party's motto, "Joy through Strength"), and soon decided that Porsche's creation should be named the KdF-wagen (short for the "Joy through Strength" car). This upset Porsche, who was not political.

World War II delayed production of the vehicle; the factory suffered extensive damage during combat, and was ultimately taken over by the British Army. The company was renamed Volkswagen, and the town at the factory was renamed Wolfsburg (after Werner von Schulenberg of Wolfsburg, who had been forced to surrender his land for the construction of the town and factory). By the end of the 1940s, mass production of the Volkswagen Beetle had begun. The model made its first appearance on U.S. shores in 1949.

The 1950s saw Volkswagen broadening its product range, adding the Bus (Type 2) to its lineup. The Bus, especially, proved quite popular due to its versatility. And the Beetle, which went on to become the best-selling car of all time, quickly showed signs of being an enduring favorite, with more than 1 million models produced at the Wolfsburg factory by 1955. This decade also saw the debut of the Karmann Ghia sports car, which featured a sleek, Italian-designed two-seater body atop a Beetle platform.

Volkswagen's star rose during the 1960s, its success fueled largely by the breakout success of the Beetle. The car benefited from an effective advertising campaign and from an appearance in a popular Disney movie. By the close of the decade, Volkswagen's yearly output of Beetles topped the 1 million mark.

In 1972, with more than 15 million units assembled, the Beetle topped the world production record set by Ford's Model T. Mid-decade saw the launch of a new era of Volkswagens that had front-mounted, water-cooled engines driving the front wheels. The Passat (Dasher in the U.S.) was the first of the new breed and was built using standardized components that could be used interchangeably among other models in the manufacturer's lineup. The Passat was soon joined by the Golf (Rabbit in the U.S.), which met with immediate success. By the end of the decade, the manufacturer's lineup had grown to include the Scirocco sport coupe and the performance-oriented Golf/Rabbit GTI. The Beetle, however, was discontinued for the U.S. market.

The Golf grew in popularity during the '80s, becoming Volkswagen's most popular model. When a second generation of the car was built in 1983, it was crafted in a mostly automated process using robots -- marking the first time robots had been used in vehicle manufacture. By the mid-'80s, the U.S. version traded the Rabbit name for "Golf." The higher-performance Golf GTI helped the manufacturer make waves on the rally circuit. In 1986, Volkswagen Motorsport nabbed the title of Group A World Rally Champions.

Volkswagen saw its sales in the North American market tumble during the early '90s, but by the end of the decade, refocused marketing efforts and an increased emphasis on new products had brought about a turnaround in the company's fortunes. The popular New Beetle helped put the company back on the radar in the United States (though it fared less successfully in European markets). The body style was based on the classic Beetle, and it struck a chord with consumers who still had a place in their hearts for the iconic, cheerful-looking "love bug."

The new millennium saw Volkswagen moving into the luxury segment with the launch of the pricey Phaeton sedan and Touareg SUV. Though well-designed and executed, the Phaeton was a disappointment sales-wise, perhaps signaling unwillingness on the part of consumers to shell out premium dollars for a brand that lacks the cachet of established upscale names like BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

Luckily, Volkswagen has seen success with other vehicles in its lineup, which currently includes everything from family-oriented sedans to roomy SUVs. Today, the automaker enjoys a reputation for crafting vehicles that offer refined handling and upscale accommodations.

User Reviews:

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  Passat Air Conditioner - 2006 Volkswagen Passat
  By 2006 Passat - January 23 - 12:53 am

  I own the 2.0T 4 cyl. Passat and the air conditioning system is just terrible. Its like having a fan on high. The worst system Ive ever had in a car and its just how its engineered. Nothing can be done about it. The heating system is poor also. Car is fun to drive, handles super. Very peppy for a 4 cyl. But not having even an adequate cooling or heating system is very disturbing.

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  Avoid like the plague - 1999 Volkswagen Passat
  By Trevor - January 22 - 2:56 pm

  Bought this car brand new. Hands down the absolute worst car I have ever had. Had constant electrical problems (call would just cut out whenever) and of course brake problems. VW doesnt recommend the timing belt change until 105,000 miles. The engine went at 84,000 miles because the timing belt snapped. Needless to say, I was glad to sell this to a scrap yard and walk away with $1000 cash. I practically kissed the ground the day I parted ways with this junker. Never will I consider any VW product again.

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  Great Car with Minor Flaws - 2003 Volkswagen Jetta
  By odachimaster - January 22 - 2:36 am

  The car handles, performs, is responsive, and rides smoothly on these 17" tires, just as it should for a car stickered at $27,895. It has an excellent interior design with high quality materials. It has better leather than the GLSs. The 8-way power seats have nice touch memory. One negative, mine has had a few little electrical problems. Cruise would only work intermittently or the cruise light would come on and would not go off. It has been very difficult for my service center to figure out when it is not doing it when they have and they have not been as nice as tey could be. VW moved its assembly to Mexico and I would like to see if more problems have arisen.

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  Honeymoon over - 2000 Volkswagen Passat
  By oversold - January 22 - 2:00 am

  Former lease car, immaculate and spotless, purchased at 30k miles from very reputable dealer. Really placed my faith on Consumer Reports rave reviews. Loved it at first, fun to drive, solid. At 50k things start to come undone, brakes, front end rattles, transmission issues, I blow headlamps every 3 months (service guy said "yeah that is an issue with these cars") radio reception is horrible, I agree with other review, seems to be a screw- up....maybe it was built on a monday

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  silver jetta - 2002 Volkswagen Jetta
  By bandit91411 - January 22 - 2:00 am

  I have had not one problem with my car outside of the first day I took it home. I drove off the lot with the reverse light on and it stayed on. I had to return to the dealership to have it repaired twice!!

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  1st time vw owner - 2010 Volkswagen GTI
  By red devil vw - January 22 - 1:53 am

  I admit i didnt know much about the GTI,after one test drive i was very impressed.The car gets respect in the road compare to the other compact cars. I really dont have much to tell since the others reviews hit it on the nose. All i know i feel invincible in the road and the respect of other vehicle.

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  Sporty, solid, unique - 2010 Volkswagen Tiguan
  By Lionel Hutz - January 21 - 6:13 pm

  I am in love with my Tiguan. For a small SUV that competes with the CR-V and Rav4, I just cannot see buying either of those others over the Tiguan. They are just so ubiquitous. The Tiguan really stands out and is a blast to drive. It is every bit as sporty as my wifes A4. Build quality rivals cars costing twice as much. Rides and drives very well. Just so much bang for the buck here I cant possibly see why anyone buys the Q5. I also chuckle a bit when people complain about the gas mileage for a 2- ton SUV with big tires and, in some cases, AWD. If you need more than 22 mpg, go get a Prius and get laughed at.

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  Love it... - 2005 Volkswagen Touareg
  By BulldogFTL - January 20 - 10:00 am

  I test drove all the luxury SUVs...Lexux, BMW, Mercedes, even the Touaregs cousin the Porsche Cayenne and there was no comparison. Total luxury in the interior, hot, sexy, sporty on the outside.

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  taureg reliability very poor - 2004 Volkswagen Touareg
  By andy hyman - January 20 - 10:00 am

  We purchased this vehicle because we wanted an excellent SUV for the hilly terrain of Southern Vermont. While it handles well in the flats, it is underpowered for steep hills and has had many many electrical problems. It is very complex and VW has not handled these issues well and the dealers do not have trained technicians to support the complex systems onboard. The tires were shot at 20,000 miles, the car spent many many days in the shop working out electrical problems. I reccomend that if you must have the Taureg, then buy the V8 as it has sufficient power and seems to have had less issues thn the six. I would not buy it again. The GPS does not perform well in back roads or off road.

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  Love My Passat Wagon! - 2004 Volkswagen Passat
  By mardimike - January 20 - 10:00 am

  Everything about it is great, bought it new in January 2004. My husband pulled a u-turn in it two weeks later (didnt see the oncomining car) which required front right body work. Boy, did he feel stupid! It drives just great, love the "bun warmers", blue lights in dashboard, visability, and comfortable seats. I am a realtor so comfort and ease of ingress and egress are important. Highly recommend it. Our other car is a Saab which is expensive for repairs and has had numerous problems.